YuGiOh! Does The Lion King
by Chikorita-Trainer1
Summary: Yugi is desinted to be the next King of Games, but Marik just isn't having it. In his jealousy, Marik murders Atem and blames Yugi. Peachshipping.
1. The Heart of the Cards

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King**

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

Credit for the inspiration for this fic goes to my friend Yamachanismyman, and for this song in particular, Falcona Sky wolf (although I changed it a bit).

* * *

_From the day we arrive on the island_

_And flinching, step into a duel_

_There's more to learn_

_Than can ever be learned_

_Most of which_

_Are all of the new rules._

_There's far too much to lose in here_

_And that much might never 'gain be found_

_But the things we possess_

_Are far too dangerous_

_So our necks we wear them around._

_It's the Heart of the Cards_

_And it's in us all._

_Don't despair, there's hope._

_With faith and love._

'_til we find our place_

_On the path unwinding_

_It's the Heart of_

_The Heart of the Cards._

Shadi, the wise Egyptian, came up to the golden castle that loomed over Duelist Kingdom, to present the new prince, Yugi. After a friendly hug with King Atem, he held the Millennium Scale up, and weighed Yugi's heart. Yugi was more than qualified to be king someday. So, he picked little Yugi up, carried him to the balcony, and held him up for all the Duel Monsters to see.

_It's the Heart of the Cards_

_And it's in us all_

_Don't despair, there's hope_

_With faith and love_

'_til we find our place_

_On the path unwinding_

_It's the Heart of_

_The Heart of the Cards!_

Later, after the ceremony, Marik, brother of the queen, was pouting in a cave, toying with a large beetle he planned on eating.

"Life's not fair, is it?" he asked. "You see I, well I, shall never be king, huh. And you shall never see the light of another day!" he chuckled. "Adieu." He was about to place the bug in his mouth when Ryo Bakura, the king's advisor interrupted him.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?" he asked.

"What do you want?" grumbled Marik.

"I'm here to announce that King Atem's on his way. So you'd better have a good excuse for missing the ceremony this morning!" The beetle escaped Marik's clutches and scurried away.

"Oh, now look, Ryo," he said. "You've made me lose my lunch."

"Ha!" laughed Ryo. "You'll lose more than that when the king gets through with you. He's as mad as a Blue-Eyes with a backache!"

"Ooh, I quiver with FEAR!" said Marik, sarcastically. He looked like he was about to hurt Ryo.

"Now, Marik, don't look at me that way…HELP!" cried Ryo. Marik tackled him.

"Marik?" came a deep voice.

"Hmm?"

"Drop him."

"Impeccable timing, your majesty," said Ryo. Marik let him go.

"Why, if it isn't my brother-in-law, descending from on high to mingle with the commoners," said Marik.

"Ishizu and I didn't see you at the presentation of Yugi," said Atem.

"That was today?" Marik faked. "Oh, I feel simply awful!" he scratched his nails down the side of the cave, and they screeched like nails on a chalkboard. Ryo gritted his teeth hat the sensation. "Must've slipped my mind."

"Yes, well, as slippery as your mind is, as the queen's brother YOU should have been FIRST in line!" said Ryo. Marik just grinned evilly at him and Ryo ran behind Atem in fear.

"Well, I was first in line," said Marik. "Until the little hairball was born!"

"That hairball is my aibou," said Atem. "And YOUR future king!"

"Oh, I shall practice my curtsey," said Marik, mockingly. He turned to leave.

"Don't turn your back on ME, Marik!" yelled Atem.

"Oh no, Atem," said Marik. "Perhaps you shouldn't turn your back on me!"

Atem got very angry at this threat. "Is that a challenge?!" he demanded.

"Temper temper! I wouldn't DREAM of challenging you!" said Marik.

"Pity," said Ryo. "Why not?"

"Well, as far as brains go, I got the Egyptians' share, but when it comes to dueling strength…I'm afraid I'm at the narrow end of the Duel Disk." And with that, Marik left.

Ryo sighed. "There's one in every family, sire. Two in mine, actually. And they always manage to ruin special occasions."

"What am I going to do with him?" asked Atem.

"He'd make a very handsome throw-rug," joked Ryo.

"Ryo!"

"And just think; whenever he gets dirty you could take him out and beat him!"

"Ah ha ha…" chuckled Atem.

As the months passed, the rains came, and in his solitary home on the island, Shadi was painting a picture of Yugi on the wall. He'd completed it, but then he remembered Yugi's unique little doink of hair that flopped down in front of his forehead. So taking a dab of yellow paint on his thumb, Shadi carefully swiped a little sweep of paint on the picture and said "Hmm. Ah, ha ha ha ha ha…Yugi. Heh, heh, heh."

The next morning, before the sun had even come up, Yugi was awake and all ready to go out and see his future kingdom. He ran into the royal bedroom to wake up Atem. "Oops, sorry, oops!" he said while climbing over Ishizu. "Atem? _Atem!"_ he whined. "Atem, Atem, Atem…"

"…aibou is awake…" mumbled Ishizu.

"Before sunrise, he's YOUR aibou!" mumbled Atem right back.

"Atem, c'mon, Atem!" whined Yugi. Pulling on his hair, he struggled and sent himself flying backwards. "ATEM!" CRASH! "Whoa." Ramming his head into the king, he looked him in the eyes and said "You promised!"

"OK, OK, I'm up, I'm up," said Atem.

"Yeah!" said Yugi. Atem yawned, and then took Yugi up onto the very top of the castle to look at the kingdom.

"Look, Yugi; everything the light touches is our kingdom."

"Wow."

"A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Yugi, the sun will set on my time here, and will rise with you as the new king."

"And this'll all be mine?" asked Yugi.

"Everything," said Atem.

"Everything the light touches…what about that shadowy place?" asked Yugi.

"That's beyond out borders," said Atem. "You must never go there, Yugi."

"But I thought a king can do whatever he wants."

"Oh, there's more to being king than getting your way all the time!" said Atem.

"There's MORE?"

"Ha, ha, Yugi…!" The two of them took a walk through the kingdom while Atem explained things to Yugi. "Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance, and respect all the monsters; from the weak Khuriboh, to the soaring dragons."

"But, Atem, aren't Khuriboh the weakest monsters?" asked a confused Yugi.

"Yes, Yugi, but let me explain; without weak monsters, there would be no way to distinguish the strong monsters. And so, they are all connected in the great Heart of the Cards." Just then, Ryo caught up with them.

"Good morning, sire!" he said.

"Good morning, Ryo," Atem answered.

"Checking in with the morning report!"

"Fire away."

"Well, the buzz from the Killer Needles is from the left of the suspected spot," Ryo began.

"Oh, really?"

"The Feral Imps are going ape…" Ryo continued. Atem noticed Yugi was trying to shuffle his deck, but he kept screwing up and flinging cards all over the place.

"What are you doing, aibou?" he asked.

"Shuffling," Yugi answered.

"Let an old pro show you how it's done!" whispered Atem.

"…I tried to tell the Garnecia Elephantises to forget it, but they can't…" Ryo continued,

"Ryo, would you turn around?" asked Atem.

"Yes, sire." Ryo turned around and kept right on talking. "The cheaters are harder…"

"Grip the cards gently," Atem instructed.

"…cheaters never prosper…"

"OK, grip the cards gently, right? Yeah!" whispered Yugi.

"What's going on?" asked Ryo.

"A shuffling lesson," said Atem.

"Ah, very good. Shuffling. SHUFFLING? Oh no, sire, you can't be serious…oh…" Atem just motioned for Ryo to turn back around. "This is so humiliating…" he moaned.

"Try not to slip the cards," Atem whispered.

"What are you telling him, Atem?" asked Ryo. No one answered. "Atem? Yugi?" Suddenly, a million cards exploded everywhere, mostly shooting into Ryo.

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" laughed Atem. "That's very good! Ha ha ha ha ha!" Then, Kemo, an island official popped up.

"Ryo," he said.

"Yes?"

"Sir, news from the underground!"

"Now," said Atem. "This time…"

"Sire!" cried Ryo. "Rare Hunters! In the kingdom!" Atem leaped forth to his duty.

"Ryo," he said. "Take Yugi home."

"Aw, Atem," whined Yugi. "Can't I come?"

"No, aibou."

"I never get to go anywhere," Yugi complained.

"Oh, young master, one day YOU will be king. Then you can chase those cloak-wearing, mangy, stupid poachers from dawn until dusk!"

Back at the castle, Marik was looking for a good place to nap when Yugi came up.

"Hey Marik, guess what!"

"I despise guessing games," said Marik.

"I'm going to be king of Duelist Kingdom!" said Yugi.

"Oh goody," said Marik, sarcastically.

"Atem just showed me the whole kingdom. And I'm going to rule it all. Ha ha!"

"Yes," said Marik. "Well, forgive me for not leaping for joy. Bad back, you know." He flopped down in the shade.

"Hey Marik," said Yugi. "When I'm king, what'll that make you?"

"A monkey's uncle."

"Ah ha ha! You're so weird!"

"You have no idea," said Marik. "So, Atem showed you the whole kingdom, did he?"

"Everything."

"He didn't show you what's beyond that rise at the northern border…?"

"Well, no," said Yugi. "He said I can't go there."

"And he's absolutely right. It's FAR too dangerous. Only the bravest duelists go there," said Marik.

"Well, I'm brave!" said Yugi. "What's out--?"

"I'm sorry, Yugi, I jus can't tell you!"

"Why not?"

"Yugi, Yugi, I'm only looking out for the well-being of the closest thing I've got to a nephew!" said Marik.

"Yeah right, I'm more like your only friend!" said Yugi.

"All the more reason for me to be protective!" said Marik. "A Mammoth Graveyard is no place for a young prince. OOPS!"

"A Mammoth WHAT? Whoa!" said Yugi.

"Oh dear, I've said too much!" moaned Marik. "Well, I suppose you'd have found out sooner or later. You being so clever and all. Just do me one thing; promise me you'll never visit that DREADFUL place."

"No problem!"

"There's a good lad. You run along now and have fun. And remember…it's our little secret!" Yugi ran off, and Marik grinned.

Yugi ran down to the base of the castle, where he found his best friend, Tea, having her hair done by Mai.

"Hey, Tea!" he said.

"Hi, Yugi," she answered.

"Come on, I just heard about this great place!" he whispered.

"Yugi, I'm kind-of in the middle of a hair-appointment!" Tea hissed.

"And it's time for yours," said Ishizu, grabbing Yugi and beginning to comb his crazy hair.

"Ishizu!" whined Yugi. "Ishizu, you're messing up my mane!" Ishizu only smiled warmly. "OK, OK, I'm pretty. Can we go now?"

"So where are we going?" asked Tea. "It better not be anyplace dumb!"

"No!" Yugi assured her. "It's really cool."

"So where is this 'really cool' place?" asked Ishizu.

"Oh," Yugi said. "…around the water field."

"The water field?!" screeched Tea. "What's so great about the water field?!"

"I'll show you when we GET there!" said Yugi through gritted teeth.

"Oh. Uh, Mai, can I go with Yugi?" asked Tea.

"Hmm, what do you think, Ishizu?" asked Mai.

"Well…" said Ishizu.

"PLEASE?" said Yugi and Tea with big, toothy grins.

"It's alright with me."

"YEAH!" yelled Yugi.

"Alright!" said Tea.

"As long as Ryo goes with you," added Ishizu.

"No, no Ryo!"

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 01


	2. Oh I Just Can't Wait to be King

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King Chapter 02: I Just Can't Wait to be King**

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

* * *

"Step lively," said Ryo, leading Yugi and Tea to the water field. "The sooner we get to the water field, the sooner we can leave."

"So where are we really going?" asked Tea.

"A Mammoth Graveyard," answered Yugi.

"WOW!"

"SHH! Ryo!" hissed Yugi.

"Right. So how are we going to ditch the Brit?" asked Tea.

"Oh, I know how…" Yugi began.

"Oh, just look at you two," said Ryo. "Little seeds of romance blossoming in the forest. Your guardians will be thrilled. What, with your being betrothed and all."

"Be-what?" said Yugi.

"Betrothed. Intended. Affianced." But Yugi and Tea were still lost.

"Meaning…?"

"One day you two are going to be married!" Ryo said bluntly.

"Ew!" said Tea.

"Yuck!" said Yugi. "I can't marry her. She's my friend!"

"Yeah, it'd be so weird."

"Well, sorry to bust your bubble, but you two Catapult Turtledoves have no choice! It's a tradition going back generations…" said Ryo.

"Well, when I'm king, that'll be the first thing to go."

"Not so long as I'm around."

"Well, in that case, you're fired."

"Hmm, nice try. But only the king can do that."

"Well, he's the future king," said Tea.

"Yeah," said Yugi. "So you have to do what I tell you."

"Not yet I don't! And with an attitude like that I'm afraid you're shaping up to be a pretty pathetic king indeed!"

"Hmm. Not the way I see it.

I'm going to be a mighty king

So enemies beware!"

"Well, I've never seen a king of games

With such a doink of hair!" sang Ryo, ridiculing the strand of hair that flopped over Yugi's forehead.

"I'm going to be the main event

As soon as I'm ruling.

I'm brushing up on shuffling,

I'm working on my dueling!"

"Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing," said Ryo.

"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"

"You've a rather long way to go, young master, if you think--"

"No one saying 'play this,'" sang Yugi.

"No one saying 'duel me,'" sang Tea.

"Nothing but dueling

Happiness and glee!

Free to duel around all day!"

"Well, that's definitely out," muttered Ryo.

"Free to play all of my games!"

"I think it's time that you and I

Arranged a heart-to-heart--" Ryo ran into the rear-end of a Mad Sword Beast.

"Kings don't need advice from meek white-haired Brits for a start!" Yugi countered.

"If this is where the monarchy is headed COUNT ME OUT!

Out of service, off of this island,

I wouldn't hang about!

This child is getting wildly out of wing…!" sang Ryo.

"Oh, I just can't wait to be king!"

Yugi and Tea ran around some more, and eventually, Ryo got lost in the crowd of monsters.

"Everybody look left

Everybody look right.

Everywhere you look, I'm

Standing in the spotlight!"

"NOT YET!" yelled Ryo.

"_Let every monster go for broke and sing._

_Let's hear it in the herd and on the wing._

_It's going to be King Yugi's finest fling!"_

"_OH, I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BE KING!_

_OH, I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO BE KING!_

_OH, I JUST CAN'T WAIT…_

_TO BE KING!"_

After the song, Ryo somehow ended up squashed beneath a Mad Sword Beast. "I beg your pardon, madam, but…GET OFF!" he said. "Yugi? Tea?"

But Yugi and Tea were already long gone, laughing at their success.

"Alright, it worked!" said Yugi.

"We lost him!" said Tea.

"I am a genius," Yugi praised himself.

"Hey, Genius, it was my idea!" said Tea.

"Yeah, but I pulled it off."

"With me!"

"Oh yeah? DRAW!" Both Yugi and Tea drew cards from their decks. Tea's was stronger.

"Ha. Beat ya!" she said.

"Hey, do-over," Yugi demanded. They drew again, but before they could show each other their cards, they slipped and tumbled down a slope and landed in the dust and dirt.

"Beat ya again," said Tea. Suddenly, a geyser erupted, and they both looked up to see the giant tusks of the Mammoth Graveyard.

"This is it, we made it!" said Yugi. Both teens peered over the one of the Mammoth Graveyard's tusks and looked far off into the distance of bones and darkness.

"WHOA!" they said together.

"It's really creepy…"

"Yeah…isn't it great?" said Yugi.

"We could get in big trouble!" said Tea.

"I know! Ha!"

"I wonder if its brains are still in there," said Tea.

"There's only one way to know," said Yugi. "Come on, let's go check it out!" Suddenly, Ryo appeared in front of their faces.

"The only checking out you will do will be to check out of here!" he said.

"Aw, man," whined Yugi.

"We're WAY beyond the boundary of the kingdom!"

"Heh, heh," chuckled Yugi. "Little Albino-Man is scared."

"It's MISTER Albino-Man to you, fussy!" said Ryo. "And right now we are ALL in very real danger!"

"Danger? Ha!" scoffed Yugi. "I walk on the wild side. I laugh in the face of danger! HA HA HA HA!" he laughed loudly.

"YA HA HA HA HA HA!" came three more voiced. Yugi gasped and ran from the entrance of the Mammoth Graveyard's skull and hopped over behind Ryo and Tea.

Three people emerged from the skull.

"Well, well, well, Arkana," said the first. "What have we got here?"

"Hmm, I don't know, Bandit Keith, uh…what do you think, Strings?" Strings, the Quiet One, just stared into space. "Ah, just what I was thinking," said Arkana. "A trio of trespassers!"

"And quite by accident, let me assure you," said Ryo. "A simple navigational error!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait, wait, wait," said Bandit Keith. "I know you. You're Atem's little stooge!"

"I, sir, am the king's majordomo!"

"And that would make you…?" said Arkana.

"Future king!" Yugi informed him.

"Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their kingdom?" asked Bandit Keith.

"Puh. You can't do anything to me."

"Ah, technically they can," said Ryo. "We are on their land."

"But Ryo," said Yugi. "You told me they're nothing but cloak-wearing, mangy, stupid poachers!"

"Ix-nay on the upid-stay!" said Ryo.

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING UPID-STAY?!" demanded Arkana.

"My, my, my, look at the sun! It's time to go!" said Ryo.

"We're sorry. But we'd love for you to stick around for a duel," said Bandit Keith.

"Yeah," agreed Arkana. "We could duel anyone…even YOU-Gi! HA HA HA!"

"Wait, wait, wait, I got one! I got one!" said Bandit Keith. "Make mine a cup of TEA!" And he laughed at his own joke as well. Suddenly, Strings started pantomiming something. "What, Strings? What is it?"

"Hey, hey, hey. Did we schedule this duel for a certain time?" asked Arkana.

"No. Why?"

"'cause it JUST GOT CANCELLED!"

Yugi, Tea and Ryo all ran for it, but Bandit Keith managed to grab Ryo's leg and pull him back.

"AHH!" he cried.

After a while, Yugi and Tea stopped running.

"Did we lose them?" asked Tea.

"I think so…where's Ryo?"

"AGH!" Ryo cried. The Rare Hunters were trying to stuff him into a geyser.

"The little majordomo Brit, hippity-hop, all the way to the Brit-Boiler!" said Arkana.

"Oh no, not the Brit-Boiler…AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" screamed Ryo as the geyser shot him up into the sky like a firecracker. The Rare Hunters laughed crazily, until Yugi chimed in.

"Hey!" he said. "Why don't you pick on somebody of higher rank?"

"Like…YOU?" said Bandit Keith.

"Oops. AAAGH!" Yugi and Tea ran around, trying to escape. They stopped suddenly when steam from a geyser shot up in front of their faces, and the Rare Hunters stuck their heads through the steam to scare them.

"BOO!" yelled Bandit Keith. "Ha ha ha ha!"

The duo continued to run, slide and climb as fast as they could to escape the Rare Hunters. Tea slipped, however.

"Yugi!" she cried. Yugi gasped. "AAAH!" Tea managed to climb up just before Bandit Keith could grab her. Yugi socked him in the face, and he growled angrily. Yugi and Tea ran until they came to a dead-end. They tried to jump and climb it, but it was no use. They turned around when they heard the Rare Hunters coming up behind them.

"Here, kiddy-kiddy-kiddy!" said Arkana. Yugi took in a big breath and tried to use his war-cry.

"Yu-Gi-Oh!" he tried. It was pretty meek.

"Aw ho! That was it?" laughed Bandit Keith. "Do it again…come on." Yugi opened his mouth, but the next sound that came out didn't come from him.

"YU-GI-OH!!!"

"Huh?" said the Rare Hunters. In a second, Atem was all over them, beating them up and pinning all three of them to the ground.

"Aw, off! Get off!" they grumbled.

"Silence!" Atem ordered.

"Hey come on, we're going to shut up right now!" said Arkana.

"If you EVER come near my aibou again…!" said Atem.

"Oh, this is…this is YOUR aibou?" said Bandit Keith, playing dumb.

"Oh, YOURS?" Arkana joined in.

"Did you know that?"

"Who? Me? No, no, I did-- I did-didn't know, no! Did you?"

"No! Of course not!"

"No?"

"Strings?" Bandit Keith and Arkana asked in unison. Strings nodded his head psychotically. Atem roared in anger.

"Heh heh, toodles!" said Arkana. And all three slipped away.

Ryo gave Atem a congratulatory nod, but Atem just glared at Ryo, as if it had been _his_ fault that Yugi and Tea had gotten into such trouble.

"Atem, I--" said Yugi.

"_You deliberately disobeyed me," _said Atem.

"Atem, I'm…I'm sorry."

"Let's go home!" Yugi and Tea followed the king home.

"_I thought you were very brave,"_ said Tea.

None of them knew that Marik had been watching them the whole time.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 02


	3. Be Prepared

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King Chapter 03: Be Prepared**

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

* * *

That evening the sunset turned the sky a calming lavender, with pink closest to the horizon. Atem was very angry was he stomped home, with Yugi and Tea following behind him.

"Ryo!" called Atem.

"Yes, sire?" asked Ryo.

"Take Tea home. _I've got to teach my aibou a lesson."_ Yugi knew he was in trouble, and he hunched down into the grass.

"Come, Tea," said Ryo. Turning to Yugi, he added with a sigh, "Yugi…good luck." Tea looked back only once as she followed Ryo home.

"YUGI," called Atem. Yugi flinched at the loudness and anger of his words. Slowly, he began to walk over to the king. He felt his foot fall into a larger footprint belonging to Atem. It made him feel bad, because Atem could only be stomping hard enough to make a footprint if he was REALLY angry. He sat down bravely to the king and looked up at him slowly. "Yugi, I am very disappointed in you."

"I know."

"You could have been killed. You deliberately disobeyed me," Atem repeated. "And what's worse-- you but Tea in danger."

Yugi took in a shuddering breath and said with a cracking voice, "I was just trying to be brave like you."

"I'm only brave when I have to be," said Atem. "Yugi, being brave doesn't mean you go _looking_ for trouble."

"But you're not scared of anything," whimpered Yugi.

"I was today," Atem admitted.

"You were?"

"Yes. I thought I might lose you."

"Oh," said Yugi. "I guess even kings get scared, huh?"

"Mm-hmm," said Atem.

"_But you know what?"_ whispered Yugi.

"_What?"_

"_I think those Rare Hunters were even more scared!"_

"Ha ha. 'cause nobody messes with your yami! Come here, you!" said Atem, affectionately giving Yugi a noogie.

"Oh, no, no!" yelled Yugi. "Agh! Ighhh!" Finally, he slipped out of Atem's grasp. "Ah, come here!" he said, tackling him.

"Ah, ha ha ha ha!" laughed Atem. They wrestled a bit, and then the talk got more serious again.

"Atem?"

"Hmm?"

"We're pals, right?"

"Heh heh, right," said Atem.

"And we'll always be together, right?" Atem sat up and said seriously,

"Yugi, let me tell you something that my father told me; look at the stars. The great kings of the past look down on

us from those starts."

"Really?"

"Yes. So whenever you feel alone, just remember that those stars will always be there to guide you…and so will I."

Meanwhile, back in the Mammoth Graveyard, Arkana was grumbling about his condition. During the fight, it seemed Atem had twisted his wrist, and now it hurt to much to draw cards.

"Man, that lousy Atem," he griped. "I won't be able to duel for a week!"

"Eh hee hee hee. Eh hee hee hee! Eh, heh, heh, hee hee hee hee hee!" laughed Strings.

"It's not funny, Strings!" said Arkana.

"TAH HA HA HA HA! Ehhhhhh!" breathed Strings.

"Hey, shut up!"

"AH HA! HA HA HA HA!" Before Strings could even fathom what was happening, Arkana had tackled him and

was beating him up.

"Will you knock it off?!" yelled Bandit Keith.

"Well, he started it!" said Arkana.

"Look at you guys!" said Bandit Keith. "No wonder we're dangling at the bottom of our Life Points!"

"Man, I hate dangling!" grumbled Arkana.

"Yeah. You know, if it weren't for those Egyptians, we'd be running the joint!" said bandit Keith.

"Aw, man, I HATE Egyptians!" agreed Arkana.

"So pushy…" said Bandit Keith.

"And hairy!" Arkana continued.

"And stinky!" and soon they both went

"And man are they U-U-U-UGLY!" They both burst out laughing when suddenly they heard a voice.

"Oh, surely we Egyptians aren't all that bad."

"Oh," sighed Bandit Keith.

"Oh, Marik, it's just you!" breathed Arkana in relief.

"Yeah, we were afraid it was somebody important!" said Bandit Keith.

"Yeah!" said Arkana. "You know, like Atem!"

"Yeah!"

"I see," said Marik.

"Now THAT'S power!" said Arkana.

"Tell me about it," said Bandit Keith. "I just hear that name and I shudder!"

"Atem!" said Arkana.

"Ooh!" said Bandit Keith. "Do it again!"

"Atem!" Bandit Keith shuddered again. "ATEM, ATEM, ATEM!" Bandit Keith shuddered some more and Strings fell over laughing.

"Ooh, it just tingles me!"

"I'm surrounded by idiots," Marik groaned.

"Not you, Marik," said Arkana. "I mean, you're one of us. I mean, you're our pal!"

"Charmed," said Marik, sarcastically.

"Ooh, I like that!" said Bandit Keith. "He's not king, but he's still so proper."

"Yeah, hey!" said Arkana. "Hey, didja bring us any new rare cards, huh, Marik, old buddy, old pal, huh? Didja didja didja?"

"I don't think you really deserve this," said Marik, tossing them each a few rare cards. "I practically gift-wrapped those kids for you, and you couldn't even dispose of them."

"Well you know," said Bandit Keith. "It wasn't exactly like they was alone, Marik!"

"Yeah, what are we supposed to do?" asked Arkana. "Kill Atem?"

"_Precisely,"_ said Marik.

"Huh?" Suddenly, Marik leaped down from his 'throne' and began to sing.

"I know that your powers of Rare Hunting

Are as weak as a zombie's defense.

But thick as you are, PAY ATTENTION!

My plan is about to commence.

It's clear from your vacant expressions

The lights are not all on upstairs.

But we're talking kings and successions…

EVEN YOU can't be caught unawares!

So prepare for the chance of a lifetime

Be prepared for sensational news.

I shining new era

Is tiptoeing nearer…"

"And where do we feature?" Bandit Keith demanded.

"Just listen to teacher!

I know it sounds dirty,

But for power I'm thirsty

When at last I have won all my duels…

An injustice deliciously squared…

BE PREPARED!"

"Yeah, be prepared! Ha ha, we'll be prepared!" said Arkana. "For what?"

"For the fall of the king!" Marik answered.

"Why, did he trip?"

"No, fool, we're going to kill him," said Marik. "_And Yugi, too!"_

"Great idea!" said Bandit Keith. "Who needs a king?" Then they all started chanting,

"NO KING, NO KING, LA LA LA LA LA LA!"

"IDIOTS!" yelled Marik. "There will BE a king!"

"Hey," said Arkana. "But you said--"

"I will be king!" said Marik. "Stick with me, and YOU'LL NEVER LOSE DUELS AGAIN!"

"YAY! Alright, long live the king!" yelled Bandit Keith.

"LONG LIVE THE KING! LONG LIVE THE KING!"

_It's great that we'll soon be connected_

_With a king who'll be all-time adored!_

"Of course, quid-pro-quo, you're expected

To take certain duties on board.

The future is littered with prizes

And though I'm the main addressee

The point that I must emphasize is

YOU WON'T WIN A DUEL WITHOUT ME!

So prepare for the coup of the century!

Be prepared for the murkiest scam!

Meticulous planning

Tenacity spanning

Decades of denial

Is simply why I'll

Be king

Undisputed

Respected

Saluted

And seen FOR THE WONDER I AM!

Yes, my cards and ambitions are bared,

Be prepared!"

"_Yes, our cards and ambitions are bared!_

_BE PREPARED!"_

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The next morning, Marik led Yugi down to the great gorge of Duelist Kingdom. He had tricked him, though.

"Now, you wait here," he said. "Your yami has marvelous surprise for you."

"Ooh, what is it?" asked Yugi.

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

"If you tell me I'll still act surprised," Yugi offered.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no," said Marik. "This is just for you and your yami. You know…a sort of yami-aibou…thing. Well, I'd better go get him."

"I'll go with you!" said Yugi.

"NO!" shouted Marik. "Ah, ha, ha…no. Just…stay on this rock. You wouldn't want to end up in another mess like you did with the Rare Hunters?"

"You know about that?" asked an embarrassed Yugi.

"Yugi, _everybody knows about that,"_ said Marik.

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. Lucky Atem was there to save you, eh? Oh, and just between us; you might want to work on that little war-cry of yours, hmm?"

"Oh. OK," said Yugi. "Hey Marik, will I like the surprise?"

"Yugi, it's _to die for."_ And Marik left.

Up on the cliff of the gorge, there was a huge herd of hoofed Duel Monsters, just waiting for something to start chasing them. Bandit Keith, Arkana and Strings were planning to.

"Shut up," Bandit Keith told Arkana.

"I can't help it, my deck is so weak…I've got to have a monster!" yelled Arkana.

"Stay put!" Bandit Keith ordered.

"Can't I just pick off one of the little weak ones?" whined Arkana.

"No! We wait for the signal from Marik." Just then, Marik appeared on a cliff and looked at them. "There he is…_let's go."_

Back in the gorge, Yugi was waiting and complaining. "Little war-cry. Puh!" Then, he saw an Electric Lizard crawl past him, so he decided to try out his war-cry on that. "Yu-Gi-Oh!" he tried. Nothing. A little louder. "Yu-Gi-Oh!" Still nothing. Yugi took a deep breath and went "YU-GI-OH!!!" so loud that it echoed off the gorge's walls. Then, he noticed some birds were flying away from the cliff. He saw a cloud of dust. Pebbles at his feet began to tremble. Then, he saw a herd of Duel Monsters headed straight for him. He froze for a moment, and then ran for his life.

Marik's plan was to get Atem into the gorge, too, and have him die as well. So he faked concern and ran up to get him.

"Oh look, sire," said Ryo. "The herd is on the move."

"Odd," said Atem.

"Atem!" cried Marik. "Quick! Stampede! In the gorge! Yugi's down there!"

"Yugi?" gasped Atem in horror.

Yugi had found a small tree to cling to by the time Marik and Atem arrived. Ryo scouted ahead and spotted Yugi first.

"RYO, HELP ME!" he cried.

"Your yami is on the way! Hold on!" said Ryo.

"Hurry!"

Atem and Marik reached the gorge, and Ryo pointed to Yugi and said "THERE! THERE! ON THAT TREE!"

"HOLD ON, YUGI!" yelled Atem. Just then, a Dark Gray rammed into the tree and Yugi almost lost his grip.

"AAAHHHHH!" he screamed. Atem leaped into the gorge and ran to the tree.

"Oh, Marik, this is awful!" cried Ryo. "What'll we do? WHAT'LL WE DO?! Ah! I'll go back for help! That's what I'll do! I'll go back for--" But before he could, Marik had shoved him against the gorge wall, thereby knocking him out.

Atem ran and ran to get to Yugi, but he didn't make it before another monster ran into the tree, sending Yugi flying through the air.

"AAAAHHHH!" Atem leaped up and caught Yugi, but while he was trying to get out of the stampede, he collided with another monster and dropped him! Before Yugi was trampled, Atem picked him up again and set him down on a ledge. But before Atem could climb up himself, he was run into by another monster, and fell right back into the stampede. "ATEM!" screamed Yugi. He watched in horror, waiting for Atem to reappear. Finally, Atem managed to launch himself at the gorge's wall, and struggled up the slippery slope. Yugi was relieved, so he crawled back up a narrow passage to get to the top. Unfortunately, he was out of sight of what happened next.

Atem called for Marik. "MARIK!" Marik only looked down at him. "Marik, help me!" Marik reached down and dug his fingernails into Atem's hand, making him yell out in pain. He looked into his eyes and said

"_Long live the king."_ Then, he let go, and Atem fell right back into the stampede. Which is all Yugi saw.

"NOOOOO!" he screamed. After the stampede passed, Yugi climbed back into the gorge to look for Atem. "Atem!" he called. He heard a rustling, and looked up. "Atem?" But it was just a small, slow monster that had gotten left behind. Then he spotted the king. He was lying still, under the very tree Yugi had been clinging to moments ago. Yugi nervously approached him and tried to wake him up. "Atem?" Atem was silent. "Atem, come on. You've got to get up. Atem, we've got to go home!" Yugi said with a cracking voice. He shook the king, but he still didn't answer. Panicking, Yugi ran and called "HELP!" All that answered him was his echo. "SOMEBODY! Anybody…" Soon, tears began to roll down his cheeks. "_Help,"_ he sobbed. Not knowing what else to do, he simply lay down next to the lifeless body of the king Atem.

Then, through the dust, Marik approached. "Yugi," he said. "_What have you done?"_

"There were Duel Monsters and…" Yugi could hardly talk, he was crying so hard. "He tried to save me!" He sniffed. "It was an accident, I didn't mean for it to happen!"

"Of course, of course you didn't," said Marik, taking Yugi into his arms and hugging him. "No one ever means for these things to happen. But the king is dead." Yugi looked up in horror. "And if it weren't for you he'd still be alive." Yugi could only stare into space in shock. Marik gasped. "What will Ishizu think?"

"What am I going to do?" asked Yugi.

"Run away, Yugi," said Marik. "Run. Run away…_and never return!"_

Yugi ran.

To Bandit Keith, Arkana and Strings. Marik said, "Kill him."

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 03


	4. Grief

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King Chapter 04: Grief**

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

* * *

The Rare Hunters chased after Yugi. He skidded to a stop at a dead-end in the gorge, and heard the Rare Hunters following him. Then he scurried up through a crack, just as Arkana was about to grab him. He ran to the edge of a cliff and cringed at the sight of thorns below. With the Rare Hunters only a few feet behind him, Yugi had no choice. He leaped off the cliff and went somersaulting and rolling down the cliff and into the thorns. It didn't seem to bother him much, as he just got right up and kept going, but the Rare Hunters were not so lucky.

"WHOA!" screamed Arkana as he skidded himself to a stop. But then, Bandit Keith slammed into him. Then Strings slammed into him, sending Arkana flying off the ledge and into the thorns. "WHAAAO!" he screamed. "DAAAOW!" He shot up out of the thorns, holding his butt, which had a ton of prickles in them. Bandit Keith and Strings only laughed as poor Arkana limped over to them, and sat down to try to pull the thorns out of his rear end.

"Hey!" said Bandit Keith, watching Yugi run towards the horizon. "There he goes! There he goes!"

"So go get him!" said Arkana.

"There's no way I'm going in there!" said Bandit Keith. "What, you want me to come out looking like you, cactus-butt?!"

"But we've got to finish the job!" said Arkana.

"Well, he's as good as dead out there, anyway," said Bandit Keith. "And IF he comes back, we'll kill him."

"YEAH! YOU HEAR THAT?" called Arkana. "IF YOU EVER COME BACK…WE'LL KILL YA!" And with that lasting threat, the trio made their way back to the kingdom.

That night, Marik informed everyone of the terrible news. "Atem's death was a terrible tragedy," he said. "But to lose Yugi, who had barely begun to train. For me, it is a deep, massive loss. So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne. Yet, out of the ashes of this tragedy we shall rise, to greet the dawning of a new era, in which Japanese and Egyptian come together in a great and glorious future!"

Shadi, in his own quarters, was mourning the loss of Yugi. He looked sadly at the painting he'd done of him, and decided to swipe his hand over it, smearing the paint. What use did the painting have now?

Yugi, however, was still alive, albeit unconscious. He had run so far that he'd collapsed from exhaustion in a big, arid desert-area of the island. Vultures were beginning to circle him, when suddenly, two teenagers ran towards him, scaring all the vultures away.

"EYAAAAHHHHH!" they yelled as they frightened the birds. "Get out! Get out! Get out of here!"

"I love bowling for buzzards!" said one boy; a brunette.

"He gets them every time! Ya ha ha ha!" laughed the other, a blonde.

"Uh-oh," said the brunette. "Hey Joey! You'd better come look! I think it's still alive!"

"Eeee!" squeemed Joey. "Alrighty, what do we got here?" He inspected Yugi's body, poked it with a stick, and THEN realized that it was a human being. "JEEZ, IT'S A CORPSE! Run, Tristan, move it!" he yelled to his friend.

"Hey, Joey, it's just a little corpse. Look at him…he's so _cute and all alone!_ Can we keep him?"

"Tristan, ARE YOU NUTS?!" yelled Joey. "You're talking about a dead body! Dead bodies rot and decay, and they can put curses on you!"

"But he's still alive!" Tristan argued.

"He's going to die sooner or later!" Joey countered.

"Maybe we can revive him!" Tristan suggested.

"Ah HA!" scoffed Joey. "That's the stupidest thing I ever heard. 'Maybe we can--' hey! I got it! What if we revive him? You know, having some new meat around might not be such a bad idea."

"So we're keeping him?" asked Tristan, picking up Yugi into his arms.

"Pffft! Of course," said Joey. "Who's the brains of this outfit?"

"Uh…"

"My point exactly. Jeez, I'm fried. Let's get out of here and find some shade!"

Joey and Tristan brought Yugi to the cool forest of the island, and splashed some water into his face, causing him to wake up.

"_Mmm…hmm…uh?" _groaned Yugi.

"You OK, kid?" asked Joey.

"I guess so," answered Yugi.

"You nearly died!" said Tristan.

"I saved you!" Joey bragged. At this, Tristan snorted. "Well, uh, Tristan helped. A little."

"Thanks for your help," said Yugi, getting up and walking off.

"Hey, where you going?" asked Joey.

"Nowhere."

"Gee, he looks blue," Joey commented.

"I'd say peach, or apricot," said Tristan.

"No, no, no. I mean he's depressed."

"Oh." Joey and Tristan caught up with Yugi, and Tristan asked, "Kid, what's got you down?"

"Nothing!" said Joey. "How could he be any shorter?! AH! HA HA HA HA! SHORTER!!!" Joey soon realized that no one was laughing but him. "Ah ha ha…eh heh…so, where're you from?"

"Who cares?" said Yugi. "I can't go back."

"Ah, you're an outcast!" said Joey. "That's great. So are we!"

"What'd you do, kid?" asked Tristan.

"Something terrible, but I don't want to talk about it," said Yugi.

"Good. We don't want to hear about it!"

"Come on, Joey. Anything we can do?" asked Tristan.

"Not unless you can change the past," Yugi answered.

"You know, kid, in times like this, my buddy Joey here says 'you've got to put your behind in your past!'"

"No, no no!"

"Ah…"

"Amateur!"

"I mean…"

"Lie down before you hurt yourself!" said Joey. "It's 'you've got to put your past behind you.' Look, kid, bad things happen and you can't do anything about it, right?"

"Right," muttered Yugi.

"WRONG! When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world!"

"Well, that's not what I was taught," said Yugi. (A/N: Oh, and like running away from your problems was?)

"Then maybe you need a new lesson," said Joey. "Repeat after me: _ahem_…hakuna matata."

"What?"

"Hakuna matata!" said Tristan. "It means 'no worries!'"

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 04


	5. Hakuna Matata

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King Chapter 05: Hakuna Matata**

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

* * *

"Hakuna Matata," sang Joey. "What a wonderful rule."

"Hakuna Matata," Tristan joined in. "Ain't no handy tool!"

"It means 'no losing

For the rest of your duels'

It's our problem-free

Philosophy

Hakuna Matata!"

"Hakuna Matata?" asked Yugi.

"Yeah, it's our motto," Tristan explained.

"What's a motto?" asked Yugi.

"Nothing!" said Joey. "What's a motto with you?! AH HA HA!"

"You know, kid," said Tristan. "These two words will solve all your problems."

"That's right! Take Tristan for example. Why…

When he was a young duelist…"

"When I was a young duelist!" Tristan screeched.

"Very nice," said Joey, sarcastically.

"Thanks!" said Tristan.

"He found his hair lacked a particular style

The horn on his head, most people found it vile."

"I'm a sensitive soul," sang Tristan.

"Though I seem so tough.

And it hurt

That my friends always played

So rough!

And OH, THE SHAME!"

"He was ashamed!"

"Thought of changing my name!"

"Oh, what's in a name?!"

"People told me to buck up…"

"How did you feel?"

"Said that my hair was--"

"Tristan! Not in front of the kids!"

"Oh. Sorry."

"Hakuna Matata!

What a wonderful rule!

Hakuna Matata!

Ain't no handy tool!"

"It means 'no losing

For the rest of your duels!"" sang Yugi.

"Yeah, sing it, kid!" said Joey.

"It's out problem-free…" sang Yugi and Joey.

"Philosophy!" sang Tristan.

"Hakuna Matata!" sang all three. Then, Joey and Tristan took Yugi into the lush tapestry of the forest.

"Welcome to our humble home," said Joey.

"You live here?" Yugi marveled.

"We live wherever we want!" Joey explained.

"It's beautiful."

The trio walked around a bit until Tristan belched, and said "I'm stuffed!" It was the opposite of what Yugi was feeling. He hadn't eaten in days!

"I'm so hungry I could eat a burger stand's whole supply !" he said.

"Ah…" said Joey. "We're fresh-out of burgers."

"Any hotdog stands?"

"Na-ah."

"Any restaurants at all?"

"Nope," said Joey. "Listen, kid, if you live with us, you have to eat like us. Hey, this looks like a good spot to rustle up some grub!" He and Tristan pried apart some bushes, revealing berries. Overripe berries, but at least they were food.

"Ew, what's that?" asked Yugi.

"A raspberry," said Joey. "What's it look like?"

"Ew, gross!" said Yugi, watching Joey consume the slimy, dripping piece of fruit.

"Mm," said Joey. "Tastes like candy."

Tristan stuffed his face with a few more and said "Slimy, yet satisfying."

"These are a rare delicacy," Joey said, finding an orange raspberry (as opposed to a red one). "Mm-mm. Note the unusual but pleasant shade of orange."

"You'll learn to love 'em!" said Tristan, his face stuffed.

"I'm telling you, kid, this is the great life," said Joey, picking many more berries. "No rules, no responsibilities. Ooh! A blackberry!" he exclaimed, and ate it. "And best of all, no losing duels. Well, kid?" he held up a leaf with many different types of berries on it. Yugi picked one up.

"Oh well," he said. "Hakuna Matata." And he ate it. "Slimy…yet satisfying."

"That's it," said Joey.

_Hakuna Matata_

_Hakuna Matata_

_Hakuna Matata_

"_It means 'no losing_

_For the rest of your duels!'_

_It's out problem-free_

_Philosophy_

_Hakuna Matata!_

_Hakuna Matata!_

_Hakuna Matata!"_

Back at the castle, however, Marik had completely taken over, and while he was happily picking his teeth after a huge meal, Ryo had been locked in a cage and was being forced to sing for Marik's amusement.

"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen…" the British boy moaned.

"Nobody knows my sorrow…"

"Oh, Ryo, do lighten up," said Marik. "Sing something with a little…bounce in it!"

"It's a small world after all…!"

"No! No! ANYTHING but that!" screamed Marik. Ryo thought for a moment.

"I've got a lovely bunch of Khuriboh," he began. "_Deedly-dee-dee…_there they are a-standing in a row…" Marik began to mumble along with the song.

"Big ones

Small ones

Some as big as your head!" Ryo sang. Then he muttered to himself, "_Oh, I would never have had to do this to Atem."_

"WHAT?!" snarled Marik. "What did you say?!"

"Ah, nothing!" squeaked Ryo.

"You know the law! Never ever mention THAT name in my presence. I am THE KING!"

"Yes, sire! You are the king!" said Ryo, submissively. "I, I, well I was only saying it to illustrate the differences…in your royal, managerial approaches. Ah ha ha!"

"Hey, Marik!" came a voice. It was Arkana.

"Oh, what is it this time?" asked Marik.

"We've got a bone to pick with you!" said Arkana.

"I'll handle this," said Bandit Keith. "Marik, there are no duelists, no cards…"

"Yeah!" said Arkana. "It's dueling-time, and we ain't got no stinking duelists to rob!"

"It's YOUR job to do the Rare Hunting," said Marik.

"Yeah, but there's nothing to hunt!" Arkana whined.

"Oh…" moaned Marik, tired of the argument already. "Duel Ryo!"

"Ah, you wouldn't want me!" cried Ryo. "I'd be so tough…or easy…or…"

"Oh, Ryo, don't be ridiculous," said Marik. "All you need is a Duel Disk."

"_And we thought things were bad under Atem!" _muttered Arkana.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" hissed Marik.

"I said Atem--!" Bandit Keith elbowed Arkana in the ribs. "I, I said, uh, What's the time?'

"Good. Now get out."

As they slinked towards the door, Arkana turned and said "Yeah, but…we're still bored."

"OUT!"

And they ran away.

That night, Yugi, Joey and Tristan were all lying on the grass in the forest, looking up past the trees and into the night sky. The peaceful silence was broken by a rather loud burp on Yugi's part.

"Whoa, nice one, Yugi," Joey commented.

"Thanks," said Yugi. "Man, I'm stuffed."

"Me too," said Tristan. "I ate like a guy!"

"Tristan, you are a guy," said Yugi.

"Oh. Right." The trio took in a large breath, and then let out a sigh. Then, Tristan said, "Joey?"

"Yeah?"

"Ever wonder what's beyond those stars up there?"

"Tristan, I don't wonder, I know."

"Oh. What's out there?"

"Aliens. Aliens that are waiting to one day come here and make friends with Earthlings," Joey said, matter-of-factly.

"Oh, gee," said Tristan. "I always thought aliens had better things to do. Plus, they're billions of miles away."

"Tristan, with you, everything's miles away!" said Joey (implying that Tristan was stupid).

"Yugi, what do you think?" asked Tristan.

"Well…I don't know," Yugi lied.

"Oh, come on!" whined Joey.

"We told you ours!" said Tristan. "Please?"

"Well…"

"Yeah?" said Joey.

"Somebody once told me that the great kings of the past are up there…watching over us," said Yugi.

"Really?" asked Tristan.

"You mean a bunch of royal dead guys are watching us?" asked Joey. "PFFF! Ooh ha ha ha!"

"Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Tristan.

"Heh, yeah, yeah," Yugi played along.

"Who told you something like that?!" Joey asked, still laughing.

"Yeah…" Yugi kept faking.

"What mook made that up? AW!" Joey continued to laugh insensitively.

"Yeah. Pretty dumb, huh?"

"Aw, you're killing me!" Joey roared.

"Yeah…" Yugi's feelings were now hurt, and he looked up sadly at the sky. Then, he got up and walked away from his friends.

"Was it something I said?" asked Joey.

Yugi went to the top of a hill and looked up at the sky. Then, sighing, he flopped down, causing millions of dust particles and bits of pollen to rise up and blow away in the wind. (A/N: If you've been looking for the infamous word written there, that's it. Just play the movie in slow-motion and you'll see in the dust.)

The dust and pollen blew in the wind and made it all the way to Shadi, who caught it in his hand and sniffed it. He could sense something from it. Taking it back into his home, he put it on one dish of the Millennium Scale, and weighed it. He knew it had come from Yugi.

"Yugi?" he said. "He, he's alive? He…he's alive?!" Laughing happily, he went and got his paint and toughed up the smeared painting he had messed up months before. The painting was still good, because the king was still alive! "It is time!" he said.

Later that day, Joey and Tristan were strolling through the forest, singing.

"Oh, in the jungle

The mighty jungle

Leogun sleeps tonight!

In the jungle

The mighty jungle…" Tristan had forgotten to chant in the background, because a card that had been blowing in the wind had caught his attention. He was now fixed on obtaining that card.

"Leogun sleeps to-- I CAN'T HEAR YOU, BUDDY, BACK ME UP! A WHEEEE--EEE--EEE--EE! I WIMBA-WUMBA-WE…ah, Tristan? Tristan?"

Tristan was still chasing the card that continued to elude his grasp. He was climbing over a log when he thought he heard the grass rustling. "Joey?" he asked. But there was no one there. He was very close to grabbing the card, when suddenly, out of nowhere, a girl sprang. "AAAAAAAAAGHHHHHH!" he screamed. She charged.

The girl chased and chased Tristan (she was only looking for a duel), and he just ran and ran.

"Tristan?" Joey asked when he heard the screaming. Tristan kept running. "Tristan! TRISTAN!" Joey called. Tristan ran and leaped between to trees that were very close together. Too close together, in fact. He got himself wedged between them. That's when Joey caught up with him. "Tristan, hey, what's going on?"

"SHE'S GOING TO KILL ME!" Joey looked over and saw the girl coming straight at them.

"WHOA!" he yelled. Desperately trying to push Tristan through the trees, he said, "Jeez, why do I always have to save your--AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Luckily for them, Yugi came to the rescue. He and the girl began fighting. "Attaboy, Yugi!" Joey cheered. "Don't worry, buddy, I'm here for ya," said Joey to Tristan. "Everything's going to be OK." Back to Yugi and the girl, he shouted, "Get her! Bite her head! This is spectacular! Spectacular!" Back to Tristan, he added, "See? I told you he'd come in handy!"

The girl pinned Yugi and looked straight into his eyes. "TEA?" he asked in disbelief. The girl sat up and backed off. "Is it really you?"

"Who are you?" she asked.

"It's me. Yugi."

"Yugi?" Yugi nodded. "WHAA?!" The two friends rejoiced and embraced. "Wh- how did you--?"

"How did you--?"

"Where--"

"WOW!"

"…did you come from?"

"This is going…it's great to see you!"

"Hey, what's going on here?" asked Joey.

"It's great to see YOU!"

"What are you doing here?" asked Yugi.

"What do you mean 'what am I doing here?' what are YOU doing here?"

"HEY! WHAT'S GOING ON, HERE?!"

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 05


	6. Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King Chapter 06: Can You Feel the Love Tonight?**

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

* * *

"Joey, this is Tea," said Yugi. "She's my best friend!"

"Friend?!" Joey shouted in disbelief.

"Yeah! Hey, Tristan, come over here!" Yugi called. Tristan finally freed himself from the trees, and was now able to walk over.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Tea, this is Tristan. Tristan, Tea."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," said Tristan, politely.

"Pleasure's all mine," Tea reciprocated.

"How do you do? WHOA! WHOA! Time out! Let me get this straight!" said Joey. "You know her, she knows you. But she wants to kill him. And everybody's OK with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING?!"

"Relax, Joey!" said Yugi.

"Wait 'til everyone finds out you've been here all this time. And Ishizu! What will she think?" said Tea.

"Sh-she doesn't have to know," said Yugi. "Nobody has to know."

"Well, of course they do! Everyone thinks you're dead!" Tea explained.

"They do?"

"Yeah. Marik told us about the stampede."

"He did?" Worried that Marik might have told them that it was he who was responsible for Atem's death, Yugi asked, "What else did he tell you?"

"What else matters? You're alive!" said Tea. "And that means…you're the king!"

"King?" scoffed Joey. "Pfff! Lady, have you got your ions crossed!"

"King?" gasped Tristan. "Your majesty! I gravel at your feet." Tristan immediately started kissing Yugi's shoes.

"Stop it," said Yugi.

"It's not gravel, it's GROVEL!" said Joey. "And don't! He's not the king! …Are you?"

"No!"

"Yugi?!" said Tea.

"No, I'm not the king! Maybe I was going to be, but that was a long time ago."

"Let me get this straight," Joey repeated. "You're the king, and you never told us?"

"Look, I'm still the same guy!" said Yugi.

"But with power!"

"Could you guys excuse us for a few minutes?" asked Tea.

"Hey, whatever she has to say, she can say in front of us. Right, Yugi?" said Joey.

"Mm," said Yugi. "Maybe you'd better go."

Joey's jaw dropped. "It starts. You think you know a guy!" And they walked off, Tristan heaving a sigh.

"Joey and Tristan, you learn to love them," said Yugi. Then he noticed that Tea had become very sad. "What? What is it?" he asked.

"It's like you're back from the dead," said Tea. "You don't know how much this will mean to everyone…_what it means to me."_

"Hey, it's OK…" said Yugi.

"I've really missed you," said Tea, hugging him.

"I've missed you, too," said Yugi, hugging her back.

"I tell you, Tristan," said Joey. He and Tristan were spying on the couple from behind a bush. "This is stupid!"

"Oh. Sorry."

"_Not you!_ THEM!" said Joey. "Him…her…_alone!"_

"What's wrong with that?"

"I can see what's happening."

"What?"

"And they don't have a clue!"

"Who?"

"They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line;

Our trio's down to two."

"Oh."

"The sweet caress of twilight…

There's magic everywhere…

AND with all this romantic atmosphere

DISASTER'S IN THE AIR!"

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_The peace the evening brings_

_The world for once_

_In perfect harmony_

_With all its living things._

_So many things to tell her_

_But how to make her see?_

_The truth about my past? Impossible…_

_She'd turn away from me._

_He's holding back, he's hiding._

_But what? I can't decide._

_Why won't he be the king I know he is?_

_The king I see inside?_

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_The peace the evening brings._

_The world for once _

_In perfect harmony_

_With all its living things._

_Can you feel the love tonight?_

_You needn't look too far_

_Stealing through _

_The night's uncertainties_

_Love is where they are._

"And if he falls in love tonight," Joey sang. Tristan sniffed. "It can be assumed…"

"His carefree days with us are history."

"In short, our pal

Is doomed!" And they both started crying.

Meanwhile, Yugi and Tea were exploring the most gorgeous part of the forest.

"Isn't this a great place?" asked Yugi.

"It is beautiful," agreed Tea. "But I don't understand something; you've been alive all this time. Why didn't you come back to the castle?"

"Well…I just needed to…get out on my own. Live my own life. And I did, and it's great!" (A/N: That just makes you sound like a jerk.)

"We've really needed you at home," said Tea.

"_No one needs me," _said Yugi.

"Yes, we do! You're the king!"

"Tea, we've been through this; I'm not the king. Marik is."

"Yugi, he let the Rare Hunters take over the island," Tea explained.

"What?"

"Everything's destroyed! There're no cards, no duels. Yugi, if you don't do something soon, everyone will leave!"

"_I can't go back," _muttered Yugi.

"Why?" asked Tea, angrily.

"You wouldn't understand."

"What wouldn't I understand?!" Tea demanded.

"No, no, no," said Yugi. "It doesn't matter. Hakuna Matata."

"What?"

"Hakuna Matata. It's something I learned out here. Look, sometimes bad things happen…"

"Yugi…!"

"And there's nothing you can do about it! So why worry?"

"Because it's your responsibility!" Tea said, stating the obvious that Yugi didn't want to accept.

"Well, what about you? You left?" he said.

"I left to find help!" said Tea. "And I found you. Don't you understand? You're our only hope!"

"Sorry," said Yugi.

"What's happened to you?" asked Tea, bitterly. "You're not the Yugi I remember."

"You're right. I'm not. Now are you satisfied?"

"No. Just disappointed."

"You know, you're starting to sound like my yami."

"Good. _At least one of us does." _(A/N: Treated!) Yugi got really mad.

"Listen," he said. "You think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life? You don't even know what I've been through!"

"I would if you'd just tell me!" yelled Tea, her voice cracking.

"Forget it!"

"Fine!"

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 06


	7. Yugi's Destiny

****

Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King Chapter 07: Yugi's Destiny

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

* * *

Frustrated and angry at the world, Yugi had gone out on his own and was now pacing out under the starry night sky. And he was talking to himself.

"She's wrong!" he told himself. "I can't go back. What would it prove, anyway? It won't change anything…you can't change the past." Looking up at the stars he shouted, "YOU SAID YOU'D ALWAYS BE THERE FOR ME! But you're not. And it's because of _me._ It's my fault. _It's my fault,"_ he whimpered. Then he heard someone chanting.

"Asante-sana squash banana, wiwi nugu mimi apana…" The chant appeared to be in Swahili, a language Yugi didn't know, so it meant nothing to him. He walked along a log that overlooked a pond, and stared at his refection. Suddenly, someone threw a rock into the pond, shattering his reflection. "Asante-sana squash banana, wiwi nugu mimi apana…!" The person appeared to be Egyptian, and he was apparently stalking Yugi.

"Come on," Yugi groaned. "Would you cut it out?"

"Can't cut it out; it'll grow right back. Ah ha ha ha!" laughed the person.

"Creepy little Egyptian…" muttered Yugi. "Will you stop following me? Ugh! Who are you?"

"The question is…who are you?" Yugi opened his mouth to speak, but then stopped himself.

"I thought I knew," he said. "Now I'm not so sure."

"Well, I know who you are. Shh! Come here, _it's a secret…as ante-sana squash banana WIWI NUGU MIMI APANA!"_

"Argh! Enough already!" grumbled Yugi. "What is that supposed to mean, anyway?"

"It means you're an Egyptian…and I'm not," said the person.

"I think you're a little confused."

"Wrong. I'm not the one who's confused. You don't even know who you are!"

"Oh, and I suppose you know?" Yugi challenged, not really expecting an answer.

"Sure do," said the person. "You're Atem's aibou!" Yugi stopped, gasped, and turned back. "Bye."

"Hey, wait!" Yugi chased after the Egyptian man. When he finally caught up with him, he found the man meditating. "You knew my yami?"

"Correction: I KNOW your yami."

"I hate to tell you this," said Yugi. "But he died…a long time ago."

"Nope! Wrong again! Ha ha ha!" said the man, leaping up. "He's alive! And I'll show him to you. You follow old Shadi, he knows the way. Come on!"

After slight hesitation, Yugi followed the man into a tunnel of plants.

"Don't dawdle!" he heard Shadi say. "Hurry up!"

"Hey, w-wait, wait!" said Yugi.

"Come on! CO-ME ON!"

"C-could you slow down? Oof!" Yugi tripped over a ledge and landed on the ground. All he could hear was Shadi's laughing and all he could see was the man's shadow. Still, Yugi ran on, blinking as leaves and branches fell onto his face, until finally, Shadi's hand flew up in front of his face and he said,

"STOP!" Yugi screeched to a stop. "_Shh!"_ hissed Shadi. He led Yugi to a small pond. "_Look down there."_

Yugi gulped, and slowly approached the pond. He leaned in and did in fact see the image of a man with spiky red, yellow and black hair, and purple eyes. But he knew it wasn't Atem.

"That's not my yami," Yugi sighed. "It's just my reflection."

"No," said Shadi. "_Look harder."_ He pointed to the water, and Yugi saw his reflection slowly change into the Image of Atem. "You see," Shadi continued. "He lives in you."

"_Yugi,"_ came an echoing voice.

"Yami?" Yugi looked up, and saw Atem in the clouds.

"_Yugi, you have forgotten me."_

"No. How could I?"

"_You have forgotten who you are, and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Yugi. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place and trust in the Heart of the Cards!"_

"How can I go back?!" Yugi yelled. "I'm not who I used to be!"

"_Remember who you are. You are my aibou, and the one true king."_ Atem's image began to recede back into the clouds. "_Remember…who you are…"_

"No! Please! Don't leave me!" Yugi begged.

"_Remember…"_

"Atem!"

"_Remember…"_

"Don't leave me…"

"_Remember." _Yugi sat down in the grass, wondering if what he'd seen had been real.

"What was that?!" said Shadi. "The weather! Bleah! Very peculiar. Don't you think?"

"Yeah," said Yugi. "Looks like the winds are changing."

"Ah, change is good," said Shadi.

"Yeah, but it's not easy," said Yugi. "I know what I have to do, but…going back means I'll have to face my past. I've been running from it for so long." Suddenly, Shadi bonked Yugi on the head with his Millennium Key. "OW! Jeez! What was that for?!" Yugi demanded.

"It doesn't matter, it's in the past! Ha ha ha ha!" said Shadi, trying to make a point.

"Yeah, but it _still_ hurts!" Yugi informed him.

"Oh, yes, the past can hurt," said Shadi. "But the way I see it you can either run from it, or learn from it." He swiped his Millennium Key over Yugi's head a second time, but this time Yugi ducked. "Ah! You see? So what are you going to do?"

"First," said Yugi. "I'm going to take your key!" And he grabbed the Millennium Key and threw it a few yards away.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, not my key!" yelled Shadi, running to retrieve it. He turned around and said, "Hey, where are you going?"

"I'M GOING BACK!"

"Yes! Go on! Get out of here!" Shadi laughed. "WOOO! WOOOOO!"

Meanwhile, Joey and Tristan were sleeping and dreaming when Tea woke them up.

"Hey," she said. "Hey, wake up."

"Huh?" said Joey. "AAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHH!" Then, Tristan woke up and immediately started screaming.

"AAAAAAGHHHHHHH!"

"Whoa, whoa, it's OK. Whoa, whoa! It's OK! It's me!" Tea assured them.

"Don't ever do that again!" Joey breathed. "Female duelists…oy!"

"Have you guys seen Yugi?" she asked.

"I thought he was with you," said Joey.

"He was, but now I can't find him. Where is he?"

"Oh, ho, ho, ho, you won't find him here!" said Shadi, who was sitting in a tree above them. "The king has returned."

"I can't believe it," said Tea. "He's gone back!"

"Gone back?" said Joey. "What do you mean? Hey, what's going on here? WHO'S THE EGYPTIAN?!"

"Yugi's gone back to challenge Marik!" said Tea.

"Who?" asked Joey.

"Marik."

"Who's getting married?" asked Tristan.

"No, no, no, it's like his uncle."

"The Egyptian's his uncle?"

"NO! Yugi's gone back to challenge Marik and take his place as king!"

"_Oh."_

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 07


	8. Yugi's Return

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King Chapter 08: Yugi's Return**

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

* * *

Yugi ran across the dry, desert-like area of the island, back to the royal grounds of Duelist Kingdom. When he finally made it back, he stomped onto a withering root, crushing it to dust. He looked around in horror; there were no lush trees or anything. The river had dried up, and there were no monsters to be seen. All that could be seen were the dark clouds of the Shadow Realm surrounding the castle, at which Yugi narrowed his eyes in determination.

"Yugi!" came a voice. "Wait up!" It was Tea. She had finally caught up with him. "It's awful, isn't it?"

"I didn't want to believe you," Yugi admitted.

"What made you come back?"

"I finally got some sense knocked into me," said Yugi, meaning it literally. "And I've got the bump to prove it! Besides, this is my kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?"

"I will," said Tea.

"It's going to be dangerous."

"Danger? Ha! I laugh in the face of danger, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Tea laughed, mocking Yugi when he had said the same thing.

"I see nothing funny about this," said a voice.

"Joey. Tristan. What are you doing here?" asked Yugi.

"At your service, my liege!" said Tristan, bowing.

"Ugh, we're going to fight this Marik…for this?" groaned Joey.

"Yes, Joey," said Yugi. "This is my home."

"Eh, talk about your fixer-upper. Well, Yugi, if it's important to you, we're with you to the end." Joey finished his speech with a bow. Yugi smiled. Then the quartet looked on as looming shadows showed them the way.

When they reached the castle, they found that there were Rare Hunters everywhere.

"Rare Hunters. I _hate Rare Hunters!"_ moaned Joey. "_So what's your plan for getting past those guys?"_

"_Appealing bait!" _Yugi answered.

"_Good idea. _HEY!"

"_Come on, Joey, you guys have to create a diversion!"_

"What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?" Suddenly, Joey had done just that and was distracting the Rare Hunters with Tristan on display as a duelist who was easy to rob.

"LUAU!

If you're itching for a hunk of solid Attack Points

Rob my buddy Tristan here because he is a dork!

All these awesome cards

Come on, it's not hard

All you have to do is pick a card!

Are you aching?"

"Yup, yup, yup!"

"For some taking?"

"Yup, yup, yup!"

"He's got good cards!"

"Yup, yup!"

"You can have some good cards, too. OY!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

With the Rare Hunters out of the way, Yugi and Tea were free to move on to the more important objective.

_  
"Tea,"_ said Yugi. "_You find Ishizu and rally the duelists. I'll look for Marik."_ But Yugi did not have to look far, because almost immediately after he and Tea split up, Marik yelled Ishizu's name.

"ISHIZU!" Yugi gasped and looked up. Ishizu calmly made her way through the path of Rare Hunters up to her brother.

"Yes, Marik?" she asked.

"Where is my hunting party? They're not doing their job," said Marik.

"Marik, there are no monsters. The duelists have moved on," explained Ishizu.

"No! They're just not looking hard enough!" Marik insisted.

"It's over. There is NOTHING LEFT. We have only one choice; we must leave Duelist Kingdom!"

"We're not going anywhere!" snarled Marik.

"Then you have sentenced us to eviction!" said Ishizu.

"Then so be it!"

"_You can't do that!"_

"I am the king, I can do whatever I want!" said Marik.

"If you were half the king Atem was you would--"

"I'm TEN TIMES THE KING ATEM WAS!" yelled Marik, slapping his sister in the face and sending her flying. Lightning struck just as Yugi growled and appeared. He ran to Ishizu's side. "Atem?" said Marik. "No! You're dead!"

Yugi nudged Ishizu awake, and she looked up at him in disbelief. "_Atem?"_

"No. It's me."

"_Yugi? You're alive? How can that be?"_

"It doesn't matter…_I'm home."_

* * *

END OF CHAPTER 08


	9. The Battle

**Yu-Gi-Oh! Does The Lion King Chapter 09: The Battle**

Chikorita-Trainer1

K

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or The Lion King.

* * *

"Yugi?" said Marik. "Yugi! Ho, ho, I'm a little surprised to see you…" he glared up at his henchmen. "…_alive!"_ Bandit Keith, Arkana and Strings all gulped an slinked away.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart!" said Yugi, moving in menacingly.

"Oh, Yugi," Marik began. "You must understand…the pressures of ruling a kingdom…"

"Are no longer yours," Yugi finished for him. "Step down, Marik."

"Oh, well, OK, I would! Heh, actually, however, there is one little problem; you see them?" He pointed up at all his Rare Hunters. "They think _I'm_ king."

"Well, we don't!" said Tea. "Yugi's the rightful king."

"The choice is yours, Marik," said Yugi. "Either step down or _fight."_

"Oh, must it all end in violence?" said Marik. "I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Yugi?"

"That's not going to work, Marik," said Yugi. "I've put it behind me!"

"Ah, but what about your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind them?"

"Yugi, _what is he talking about?" _asked Tea.

"Ah! So you haven't told them your little secret," Marik taunted. "Well, Yugi, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Atem's death!" Everyone looked up at Yugi.

"…I am," he said. Everyone gasped. Ishizu looked him right in the eye and said,

"_It's not true!_ Tell me it's not true!"

"…it's true," said Yugi.

"You see? He admits it!" Marik declared. "_Murderer!"_

"No! It was an accident!" Yugi pleaded.

"If it weren't for you, Atem would still be alive! It's your fault he's dead. Do you deny it?"

"No."

"Then you're _guilty!" _said Marik.

"No, I'm not a murderer!" said Yugi. Marik was forcing Yugi to the edge of the castle's balcony.

"Oh, Yugi, you're in trouble again," he said. "But this time, 'yami' isn't here to save you. And now everyone KNOWS WHY!"

"Ah!" cried Yugi as he slipped off the balcony. Lightning struck the forest, setting it ablaze. Looking down at Yugi's helpless, clinging form, Marik decided to tease him.

"Now, this looks familiar. Mm, where have I seen this before? Let me think…" Yugi was still hanging on for dear life. "Oh! Yes, I remember! This is just the way your yami looked before he died." Yugi slipped and was about to fall, when Marik grabbed his hands and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "And here's my little secret…_I killed Atem!"_

Yugi had a flashback of Atem falling, and then used all his anger to pull himself back up and pin Marik to the balcony. "NOOOOOOO! MURDERER!"

"No, Yugi, please!" Marik begged.

"Tell them the truth!" Yugi demanded.

"But, the truth is in the eye of the behAGHLGLLGH!" Marik choked because Yugi was pressing on his throat. "_Alright," _he choked out. "_Alright! I did it."_

"_So they can hear you!"_ said Yugi.

"I killed Atem!" Marik declared, loud and clear. Suddenly, all the Rare Hunters launched themselves at Yugi, and all of Yugi's friends launched themselves at the Rare Hunters.

"EEYAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHH!" Even Joey and Tristan had returned to help.

"'scuse me! Pardon me! Coming through! Hot stuff!" yelled Joey as they two barreled into the crowd. While one hunter in particular was hassling Yugi, Shadi showed up and bashed him on the head with his Millennium Key.

"EYYAAAHHH!" he screamed. Then, he jumped right into a circle of Rare Hunters. They all tried their best to get him, but Shadi was so agile he just jumped, flipped and stepped out of their way. He ended up defeating them all. "YOW!"

As the fight raged on, Arkana chased Joey into the room in the castle where Ryo was still locked up.

"Let me out! LET ME OUT!" cried Ryo.

"Let me in! Let me in!" Joey yelled, so skinny that he could fit through the bars. "Please don't rob me!" he begged.

"Leave him alone!" came Tristan's voice.

"Hey, who's the punk?" asked Arkana.

"Are you talking to me?"

"Uh-oh, they called him the punk."

"Are you talking to ME?"

"Shouldn't have done that."

"ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?!"

"Now they're in for it!"

"They call me MISTER PUNK!" yelled Tristan. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" And he wailed on Bandit Keith, Arkana and Strings, and got Ryo and Joey out of the cage as well. The trio of hunters ran away, and Joey, Tristan and Ryo were left cheering.

Marik however, had become separated from Yugi in the fight, and was making his way up to the very top of the castle. Lightning flashed, illuminating his figure, and Yugi saw and charged at him.

The two of them ended up on the top of the castle, flames raging about.

"_Murderer," _rasped Yugi.

"Yugi, Yugi please, please have mercy, I beg you," said Marik.

"_You don't deserve to live," _said Yugi.

"B-but Yugi, I…am…eh…family, almost. It was the Rare Hunters…who are the real enemy!" Marik said, trying to shift the blame to his henchmen at the last minute. "It was their fault, it was their idea!" The hunters were now angry at being betrayed. They backed off, growling.

"_Why should I believe you?" _said Yugi. "_Everything you ever told me was a lie."_

"What are you going to do?" asked Marik. "You wouldn't kill another person…?"

"_No, Marik," _said Yugi. "_I'm not like you."_

"Oh, Yugi, thank you. You are truly noble, _I'll make it up to you, I promise. _And, how can I prove myself to you? Tell me anything."

"_Run. Run away, Marik. And never return."_

"Yes…" Marik began, slinking away. "Of course…as you wish…your majesty!!!" and he swiped a pile of burning embers into Yugi's face.

"AGH! Ahh! Ungh!" Yugi exclaimed. Marik tackled Yugi and started punching him. Yugi eventually pushed him back up and the two engaged in a climactic battle, swatting each other and screaming in pain. Finally, Marik knocked Yugi down on his back, and leaped over him to make his final attack. Yugi however, just used his arms and legs to deflect the attack, sending Marik hurdling off of the castle and onto the ground. Yugi looked to see if he was dead.

He was not. Marik slowly picked himself up, and noticed he was surrounded by Rare Hunters.

"Ah, my friends," he said.

"Friends?" said Bandit Keith. "I thought he said we were the enemy!"

"Yeah. That's what I heard," said Arkana. Marik's eyes widened in horror has he realized what he'd gotten himself into.

"Strings?" Strings only laughed and licked his lips. Slowly, the Rare Hunters all moved in on Marik.

"No, no, no, le-let, let me explain. No! You don't understand! No! I didn't mean-- no!" The rest of Marik's pleas were drowned out by the sound of the Rare Hunters tearing him apart.

Finally it started to rain, putting out the fire. Yugi made his way down to the second floor of the castle, where everyone was waiting for him. He hugged Ishizu, and then gave Tea a bigger hug. Then, they all looked up and saw Shadi, pointing to the balcony. Yugi knew what he had to do. As he approached his throne, Shadi bowed. Yugi just hugged him, grateful for showing him the way.

_"It is time."_

Everyone watched in awe as Yugi reached the balcony and looked out over his kingdom. He could have even sworn he heard Atem's voice one last time.

"_Remember."_ Yugi took a deep breath and yelled,

"YU-GI-OH!" His subjects repeated it, and he yelled it again. Within time, the rain produced the vegetation needed on the island, and the monsters returned. Yugi was king and Tea was queen.

_Until we find our place_

_On the path unwinding_

_It's the Heart of_

_The Heart of the Cards._

_Heart of the_

_Cards!_

* * *

THE END


End file.
